Environmentally speaking, we did a lot in 2014. In this article I would like to share with you three big leaps that were made in regards to issues concerning climate change.The first one is the China and US agreement. The two largest polluters in the world came together to agree upon decreasing their consumption. I would have never thought this would happen during this decade let alone in 2014. The United States has agreed to cut its carbon emissions by over 25% from 2005 emission levels by 2025. China has intended to cut carbon emissions in 2030. The goals of these two countries are very different but that is because they possess different economic challenges. Simply put, China has not experienced economic development for nearly as long as the US has. You might have expected more or you may have not. Regardless, UN’s climate chief, Christiana Figueres, said that this agreement paves a path for a “more secure future for humankind”. Nice.The second leap I would like to share with you is about solar technology. Solar efficiency has reached an all time high of just over 40%. This was done by researchers in Australia so not all solar panels will have this efficiency rating but rather this is the direction they are headed. Just like the US and China agreement, this represents the beginning of a new era where a lot more people actually care for the environment and are actively seeking to make a difference.Today, high end rooftop solar panels have an efficiency rating that is somewhere in the high teens. In 1989 the best solar panel produced had a 20% efficiency rating for solar energy conversion. Although that was just over 25 years ago, there is more funding for renewable resources and more drive. Maybe we can see efficiency ratings close to the 30% bracket within 15 years.The final (and in my opinion the most influential) event that occurred in 2014 was the People's Climate Marches. All across the world hundreds of thousands of people showed politicians, polluting industries, and all other types of people that climate change is a serious issue. I believe this was an important event because we are taking matters into our own hands. Climate change is no longer an issue that is only brought up by people like Al-Gore; it is now done by people like you and me but listened to by most everyone. The People's Climate March definitely played a role in banning fracking in the state of New York. It set off a trend and it's only gaining momentum.

Good job to not only some politicians, and scientists, but also to us. We did a lot.